Spring has truly settled in now, and instead of the weather reports being about upcoming heavy snow, now the focus is on the cherry blossoms (“Sakura”) and where they will be in bloom when. The nearby town of Takada ranks among the best places in Japan for night viewing of the famous flowering trees, and they are expecting everything to be in full bloom in the coming week.

Temperatures are well up above zero, and resort conditions are ‘Spring Skiing’ at it’s very best – sunshine and slushy corn snow! Only Seki Onsen and Akakura Kanko still have lifts turning and there is only one at the former and two at the latter but they do have a few park features in place to keep the very small number of riders entertained.

Sadly it’s almost time for me to leave Akakura as well. It’s been another fantastic year for snow, and as always the warmth of the people of Myoko has been a wonder to experience. I’m already looking forward to my next visit! Thanks go out to everyone that has come to stay with us here at Hotel Mumon, and of course all the locals here that make it such a great place. We look forward to seeing you again in the coming season – only 7 months until winter………!

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

Today has been a bit like a flashback to January, with excellent fresh snow conditions across the resorts. Unfortunately the spring season lift limitations mean that only Kumado #3 Quad, Hotel #3 Quad, Kanko Gondola and three lifts at Ikenotaira are running but the upside is a little bit of hiking can really deliver some fantastic riding at the moment.

RIDERS: (clockwise from top left) Kumichan, Shinya and Alexander

As for the past week, it has been a real mixed bag, with sunny days, pouring rain, strong winds and generally quite warm temperatures. The current cold snap is expected to come to an end overnight and a maximum of 12 degrees C is forecast for Tuesday in Akakura, so it looks like things will be back to spring slush again pretty soon – enjoy the powder while you can!

Ramen, full moon viewing and fireworks

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

We awoke to heavy rain this morning in Akakura Onsen but by lunchtime it had turned to snow and quite a bit was building up by last lifts. This weekend Suginohara is reopening for one last session before the annual spring closure. With more snow forecast overnight and throughout the day tomorrow it seems like the weather is paying no attention to the calendar…

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

It’s been a mixed bag for the last few days, with rain, snow, sunshine, strong winds, heavy cloud and more depending on the day. Overall the base has stayed pretty much steady, so things are still looking amazingly strong for great spring riding right through to “Golden Week” (the Japanese holiday at the start of May) and pretty much the only thing to stop the fun will be the closure of lifts and resorts!

Here are a few photos from the last few days, including the “Dead Or Alive” big air contest on Sunday that was severely impacted upon by weather conditions which meant that no-one was hitting the 20m kicker and instead the 500,000 yen first prize was decided on the 15m version.

It’s looking like a warm and overcast day tomorrow before a change in the late afternoon followed by some rain at lower altitudes turning to snow overnight and continuing throughout Saturday and in to Sunday morning. Monday should be another fine sunny day before more precipitation on Tuesday night, most likely rain of the heavy variety…..

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

As predicted the precipitation today has been snow rather than rain which is a definite improvement on yesterday. Winds were lighter as well but the snow was pretty sticky in a few places. The slow conditions also made it tricky for the practice session ahead of tomorrow’s “Dead Or Alive” big air contest – hopefully things will pull together in time for the jump-off tomorrow!

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

It’s been a rainy day here in Akakura Onsen, and again many of the upper lifts have been on wind hold. The forecast for the weekend is for things to get colder and the precipitation to turn to snow overnight, which will be great for the resorts but perhaps not so good for the practice session leading into Sunday’s “Dead Or Alive” big air contest at the Kumado area of Akakura Onsen. Fingers crossed that we get a chance to see people going big for the 500,000 yen first prize!

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

It has been a warm day here in Myoko with strong southwesterly winds bringing many of the top lifts to a halt. The fluffy snow from yesterday was all but destroyed by the rise in temperature, with the resorts getting sticky and slow and the off piste conditions getting heavy. None the less there was plenty of fun to be had adventuring around in them there hills, as Shinya, Damo and I found out!

Getting out into the backcountry around Myoko is always great fun – Akakurayama is just one of the many peaks you can climb using a combination of lifts and legs!

The forecast is for lighter southeasterly winds from this evening, bringing precipitation but of the unwanted un-frozen kind except for at the very top of the resorts and above where it should be snowing. By Sunday morning the wind should shift around to the northwest and bring the temperature back down with snow forecast right down to village level. Unfortunate timing for Akakura, with the renowned “Dead Or Alive” big air contest scheduled for the coming weekend. The 15m kicker is built and tested, practice session is on Saturday and the comp is on Sunday with ¥500,000 up for grabs so if the weather permits we should see some people putting their bodies on the line!

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

It has been a mostly sunny day here in Myoko today, with patches of cloud and even a few snow showers here and there but for the most part glorious sunshine! Despite that the temperature stayed relatively low and with quite a bit of fresh snow ( Seki Onsen reported 40cm! ) it was another fun-tastic day on the mountain.

Tomorrow is looking like a clear start followed by increasing cloud and rising temperatures ahead of a warm and wet Friday with heavy rain forecast for the afternoon and evening. Saturday morning is looking wet too before another cold front turns the precipitation to snow.

ABOVE: A hearty bowl of ramen is a good way to refuel RIGHT: Maya-chan hits the flat box as the sun sets

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

A beautiful sunny morning here in Akakura Onsen, and with plenty of fresh tracks still to be had across the Myoko resorts, it was another fun filled day out in the mountains of Niigata! Not the lightest snow but it is two-thirds of the way through March after all…..

And what could top off a day of playing in the snow better than a chance encounter with one of the local loveable whacky mascots – this time it was my all time favorite ‘Ikebei’ the face of Ikenotaira ski area!

By the late afternoon the clouds had closed in and it was snowing with a fair bit of intensity but it has pretty much petered out now, and only light snow or snow showers are expected overnight. Tomorrow afternoon and evening should be clear again before a warm change and moderately heavy rain from Thursday night. By Saturday night things are looking decidedly cold and snowy once again so the spring time roller coaster ride looks set to continue well into April.

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com

After a wet, rainy weekend we awoke to around 35cm of new snow this morning in Myoko. Not the bottomless turns of January, but still plenty of pow to play in as you can see from the photo below!

Partly cloudy conditions with some light snow for the next 48 hours then the temperature is set to creep up again as the south wind blows. Friday is looking like heavy rain again, followed by snow on Saturday.

ABOVE: Rider – Shinya

To make a booking or find out more information about Hotel Mumon and Myoko Kogen, email me at tim@hotelmumon.com